Force de frappe
The Force de Frappe (french: Force of Striking) is the designation of the triad of air, sea and land based French Nuclear Forces, part of the Military of France.The land element contained the Pluton and the Hades, mobile tactical and strategic missiles of limited range, designed to be launched at approaching Russian armies from the east. The Pluton missile was retired in 1993 and its successor the Hades was produced in limited numbers in the 1990s and placed in storage in 1992.
France does not have ICBMs any more since the only ICBM base, at the "Plateau d'Albion" in the Vaucluse region was deactivated in 1996.
The other two long range elements of the triad are still operative. The navy has a nuclear ballistic submarine fleet made up of 4 SSBN L'Inflexible class vessels and 1 SSBN of the Le Triomphant class. 3 additional SSBN's Le Triomphant class are under construction or planned. The air force has 45 Mirage 2000 NK2 long range fighter bombers carrying ASMP short-range attack missiles with nuclear warheads.
France has the fourth largest nuclear force in the world after the USA, Russia and China.